Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-21
Retail Licenses for Grocery StOres-A
Letter from the Board Of Trade.

The Board OF Trade have submitted their written
argument on the question OF issuing bar-rOom
liquor licenses to grocery and provision stores to
the District Commissioners. Referring to the
number OF leading merchants who compose the
board, the letter says, 1t Is believed that their
views are entitled to some weight with the Com
miSSloEerS, and Will receive II possible, their
favorable consideration. They.say in their letter:
1--WE recognize and give you full credit for honesty
OF purpose in the recent regulation made by you
refusing retail licenses to sell liquor to grocery and
provision stores, but respectfully represent that
the regulation has the effect OF taking this traic
out OF the hands Of a Number Of most respectable
citizens who combine 1t with another trade which
as rule is their leading business and in order to
prosecute which their interests and their en-
deavors are, and will be, to conduct the sale OF
liquor In manner that will not interfere with
their customers (many OF whom are females) In
what to them is their most important business.
MANY OF our grocery and provision merchants
live with their families In the same building or ad-
1acent to their stores and it is much an object
to them as 1t can be with any OF our citizens to
prevent the presence OF Objectionable persons in or
around their stores your object be to prevent the
licensing OF low and Objectionable places we sub
NIT that you are not proceeding In a way to ac-
cOmplish your purpose when you absolutely refuse
citizen who Is carrying on a respectable buSi-
ness and in which hundreds OF thousands OF dol
lars invested in this District, license to sell
simply because he is engaged In this business and
at the same time grant license TO any tipping or
barrOom however undesirable it may be, because
nothing but liquor is sold there"
1t is claimed that the effect OF the regulation
will be to discourage the carrying on OF the re-
spectacle and necessary business OF grocery and
provision stores and to encourage the opening OF
charges that the present policy OF the Commits
soners Is in direct opposition to that which is past
''The compliant has heretofore been made that the
wholesale licenses taken out by the grOcers and
provision dealers enable them, II so disposed, to
wrongfully sell at RETAIL and the endeavOrs OF the
authorities OF the District have been for years
encourage and enforce the taking out OF retail
licenses by the grocers and provision dealers to
increase the revenues OF the District. Yielding to
the policy many OF the dealers have changed their
business to a certain extent, and, having taken
| out retail licenses, adapted themselves to what
Of the district. It is now proposed by this, your
regulation. to destroy this business which they
| have built up under the encouragement and policy
OF your predecessors and to offer strong induce
ment and temptation to those whose business you
have thus injured TO violate the law"
Attention Is called to what is claimed to be an in
justice worked by the PRONUNCIATION OF The new
regulations In the last days OF the license year.
The board hold that In their action the District
Commissioners have, without discrimination, con-
founded the law abiding with the law-breaking
cit zens. The letter concludes with the request
that "yOu will rcise that discretion which Con-
gress has bestowed upon you, and repeal or modify
the gulatiOn or rule refusing licenses to sell or
dispose OF any intoxicating drinks to all grocery
you for what we believe to be the rights of our
selves and our fellow-ctizens, and we would be
unworthy OF the names OF American citizens II
we do not maintain these rights before any and
every body which can grant relief and the public
at large In case they are 1nfrnged."
Austin Herr signs the letter as president OF the
board OF trade.
The District Commissioners replied that the act
Of Congress declares that every place where liquors
known as a bar-roOm, Sample-roOm, or tipping
house." and that neither grocery nor provision
stores are included In this category. They will
license any grocery dealer or provision dealer to
sell LIQUOR in quantities not less than pint, but
they do not think It is placing the sale OF liquor
on as high plane as possible" II they license q
reputable grocer TO sell by the drink in his store
APPLICATIONS DISPOSED OF.
The following applications for liquor licenses
were disposed of by the Commissioners on SaJur-
day:
RETAIL APPROVED.
Northwest section-Frank York, 3O9k G street;
Wilfred F. Guindon, 92l D street; william ].
Keane, 227 New jersey avenue. southwest
Ernest Weber, 1908 9th street; Lawrence Hickey
800 I'd street. NortheastCHenry Roembiloth, 3lS
VIM. L. Skelly, 100 l4th street.
RETAIL DIsAPPRovKD.
Northwest section-John l. Keith, 321 18th
street: TheOphile Felter, Welckers Hotel 721 18th
street; VIM. Fisk, 1901 street; James Cady,
1855 2ed street; Chas schlegel 1923 7th street.
SOuthwest-John Fegan, 62S 9th street.
WHOLESALE APPRovRp.
Northwest section-Wm. r. Ashley, 800 street;
9. r. Ware, Ebbitt House drug store; Eugene B.
Daily, 11Ol LIST street; g. G. Cornwel 4 Son, 14l2
and l4l4 Pennsylvania avenue; Margaret Go!mly,
sSss .s0C S Isl sss: gs
bailey 61S Massachusetts, avenue: Lewis A. Dell
WIG, ito street; Michael Keegan. l45 b street.
wHoLksALB DDAPPR0vKD.
Catherine Dentz 1900 2Sth street, Georgetown.
TINE PANAMA CANAL.-The New York Sun says
that private letters received from Panama say
that no work Of any importance 10 being done on
the canal Two leading firms OF contractors are
said to be embarrassed financially. Another con-
tractor claims over 100000 from the company.
several judgments have been nled against the
Canal Company, and several seizures and sales are
advertiaad The fmpOrtatton OF the Door Librarians